Sunday, 18 May 2008

I couldn't not write something about these, and before anyone dismisses them as dull, tasteless and akin to chewing on a piece of cardboard, you'd be wrong. Crispbreads of old, have had a bad press. Whilst they are healthful, they're generally not very interesting, but these two varieties I've found lurking in the cracker and wholefood aisles of the supermarket, have made such an impression.

Firstly, Dr Karg's Emmental Cheese and Pumpkin Seed. Yes, the name Karg may conjure up images of strange health spa practices of the 19th century, but I can assure you that these are very delicious and crisp and go well with a thin piece of cheddar on top – or maybe nothing at all – they're so good.

Next is Amisa Organic Spelt and Poppyseed. I'm having an affair with anything made with spelt at the moment, and I'm currently experimenting with a muffin recipe, using it – but more about that another time! As I was saying, these are made from wholesome spelt flour and encrusted with poppy seeds and sunflower seeds, which give a rich nutty flavour. They're very crisp almost to the point of being maybe just a little too hard, so I advise against biting straight into them, otherwise a dental bill could follow! It's best to break off bite-size pieces, that is if you don't mind showering yourself and everywhere with seeds!

We ate both with a variety of cheeses from the local deli and found that the texture and flavour complimented the Manchego, Cornish Yarg and Gruth Dhu cheeses, that we chose, very well.

If you see these in your local shop, I'd suggest trying them as they're quite sophisticated and may change your opinion of healthy crackers. I certainly wouldn't be adverse to putting them out with the cheese course.

For more information about the crispbreads and their ingredients visit:

A Little Bit About Me

I've been an avid collector of recipes over the years – mostly from books and magazines, but also from family and friends too.
I make no claims to being a perfect chef, but the people who eat what I cook, invariably, leave the table happy and satisfied.
Whilst I haven't yet extensively travelled the world, a comfy sofa, the internet and piles of books full of beautiful photographs, have served me well in gaining some knowledge and experience of other countries and their cuisine.

Desserts & Puddings

Miscellaneous

How To

Tasty Tips

MAKE WASHING-UP EASIER: After you've chopped meat or fish or used eggs or flour in your food processor, rinse out with cold water first, before immersing in hot. This stops the remnants from cooking on, making cleaning easier.

GET THE MOST FROM CITRUS ZEST: Grate the zest directly into the bowl, in which you are mixing your ingredients, as this will catch all the oils that burst from the skin, giving maximum flavour.

USE CLING FILM TO ROLL OUT PASTRY: Put one piece on your work surface, dust with flour, place dough on top and dust with flour again. Put another piece of cling film over it and roll away. Stops it from sticking and makes everything so much easier to clear up afterwards.

INVEST IN A SET OF MEASURING SPOONS: A teaspoon is only a teaspoon by name – with correctly sized spoons specifically for the purpose, you'll never get it wrong again.